Port au Prince Observations
Trip Start
Jan 31, 2005
1
7
Trip End
Feb 24, 2005
Port au Prince, Haiti
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Here in Port au Prince, I am choking on the smog and pollution. Oh, I also took taptaps (the local pickup truck public transports) from the airport to Delmas which is in the more upper class area. This is a huge no-no for Peace Corps volunteers as it is dangerous. I only had a backpack and small duffel bag, and speak the language, so I figured I'd be fine. I was. The only people I saw with guns were the UN troops. It just took a long time and I breathed in too much dust and filth. But, to live and ride like millions of Haitians is something that not every foreigner can say they have done.
In talking to many of the Haitians and foreigners in Port au Prince and around, the UN troops do not seem to be doing much, unless it is unseen. Yes, they have worked to get the garbage trucks up and running again, and they have attempted to disarm some of the gangs, but overall, they just seem to be driving around. The HAitians do not think they are serious like the US marines and with a recent jail break, I question where they were in all that. There are tons of helicopters flying around and you see many vehicles with armed troops, but what are they doing, I don't know. The Haitians don't know. Whether or not they are making a difference, that has yet to be determined. The ones in Cayes area did not walk around with guns, but those in Port have at least two visible at all times.
The traffic is still bad. The electricity for some is more prevalent. Some of the roads have changed to one-way roads to help the flow of traffic and at least one taptap station moved to a less crowded area. Oh, and a new stop light was put in Petionville and it actually works, so now I think Haiti has caught up with Oceana County with two working lights! Though the lights in Haiti are at two different intersections!
More reflections and thoughts later. I enjoyed my visit to Haiti, and though short was time well spent and I will be back again soon, though uncertain in what capacity exactly.
Oh, and one lady was glad that President Bush was re-elected, as the HIV/AIDS education money came in lately and if he hadn't been elected again, that money probably wouldn't have made it. It's all in perspective.
